The Best Tom Moments
by MusicMeansEverything
Summary: You might not have all noticed, but I'm really obsessed with Oliver Coleman/Tom Kent. So I'm writing a fic where I highlight all the moments I think have been Tom's best. It will contain original dialogue from the show and will hopefully be accurate. If you have any scenes you'd like me to add to the fic let me know by inboxing me or leaving a review! I hope you like it! xx
1. Chapter 1

Tom bought the two coffees and handed one over to Tara who nodded her thanks. He took a sip of his drink and dedcided that now was the right time to question Tara, to try and get the truth.

"Gemma's tests are drawing blank," he said casually, looking up and waiting for Tara's reply.

"There must be something that you can do," was her response. For God's sake, he was the doctor.

"We're doing everything we can," Tom reassured her, drumming his fingers on the top of the plastic cup. "But if we haven't got all the information..."

"Alright, I get it, I should have told you that I was her mum!" Tara snapped.

"I'm not having a go, I knew you were Gemma's mum the moment you came in. The look on your face Tara, real fear. The kind of look only a mother feels."

"Yeah well, I love her don't I," Tara half smiled.

"Which is why I need you to think very hard, is there anything we're missing?" Tom asked urgently.

"No, course not," Tara scoffed. Did he think she didn't know her own daughter?

"Well, what about the estate? Maybe she's got some friends there you don't know about or a new boyfriend perhaps," Tom suggested.

"No way. Gemma hates that place."

"Why?" Tom leapt in. "Why does she hate that place?"

Tara realised that she had dropped herself in trouble. "There was a guy there I used to go see sometimes, I'd bring Gemma."

"What guy?" Tom couldn't drop this, he was finally getting somewhere.

Tara panicked. "Look, you'll want to make me out to be a terrible mum, go ahead. But I was young, didn't know any better."

"Tara-" He wasn't going to judge her, he just needed to know so he could treat her daughter.

"And it's all behind me now. I'm with Simon, sorted myself out," Tara reassured Tom. And herself.

"Tara, listen to me!" Tom shouted, starting to grow impatient. "What guy?" 


	2. Chapter 2

Tom pulled on the flashing devil horns and picked up his paper halloween cup.

"You're not serious," Sam laughed, looking up at him.

Tom began to speak in a posh accent. "Well, I suppose the queen of intubation is far too grand to dress up." He took a sip out of his cup and pretended to look down his nose at Sam.

"Well, I reckon we're about even. I did miss the toxocariasis," Sam reasoned with him.

"Yeah," he teased her. "I would have got that." 


	3. Chapter 3

Zoe walked up to Tom who was rubbing a name off the whiteboard.

"How we feeling?" she asked.

"Excruciating case of hypochondria, convinced he's got cancer, all I can see is mouth ulcers," Tom replied, sighing.

"Have we seen him before?" Zoe asked, exasperated. She couldn't believe that someone would waste the hospital's time and money like that.

"Six times in three months."

"Right, show him the door and you have my permission not to be nice about it," Zoe said as she walked away.

"Thank you," Tom muttered, smiling. 


	4. Chapter 4

Tom walked back over to the ambulance where Rachel was sat, not talking and not moving. She looked like she was having some kind of breakdown.

"I know you lost a son Rachel. Adam? I'm so sorry. But Luke's not Adam. He's in the best care, I promise you," Tom said. He felt for her, he really did, he couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child.

"Adam got sick. He couldn't keep anything down," Rachel quivered, staring straight ahead.

"This is different. You need to trust me. Luke's going to wake up soon. And he's going to want his mum there," Tom reassured Rachel, reaching out for her hand. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sam turned around to face Tom, her eyes burning with anger. "Did it not occur to you that I might not be cool with this?"

"I didn't really think it through, it happened really quickly," Tom replied, rubbing his temples because of the stress.

"I'll add thoughtlessness and selfishness then!" Sam snapped. turning around and pushing open the doors.

"I said I was sorry!" Tom shouted after her, realising he had made a mistake.

"No," Sam shouted, spinning around to face Tom again. "You don't even know what you're apologising for!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Tom walked into the department, obviously running slightly late, in the same clothes as the night before. He had a bacon sandwich in one hand and he was flattening his hair with the other.

"Walk of shame is it?" Lenny asked, walking next to Tom and smirking at him.

"She was nothing to be ashamed of, I can assure you," Tom smiled, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Ha ha, nice one!" Lenny laughed. 


	7. Chapter 7

Zoe stormed outside to Tom, who was kicking over all the bins and pacing around with his head in his hands.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Zoe shouted.

"That girl nearly died today because he's not a good enough doctor!" Tom roared, his face screwed up in anger. "All he had to do was look in her eyes!"

"That's not the point!" Zoe shouted, completely losing her temper. "I told you to wind your neck in! Assaulting a colleague is a disciplinary act! You've brought this all on yourself Tom. Go home-you're suspended."

Tom watched Zoe's retreating back as she stormed away;his face the picture of anger and confusion. 


	8. Chapter 8

Tom ran outside after Dylan who was storming away, just trying to get away from everyone.

"Dylan! Dylan!" he shouted as he caught up with his fellow doctor. "Sam and me-it's not what you think."

"What is it then?" Dylan snapped back in reply. "A book club?"

"You need to man up and move on!" Tom shouted, finally losing his patience.

"I'll tell you a thing or two about you Tom, you've got plenty of muscles, rather fewer brain cells! You're not good enough for her mate!"

"Ok, look, you need to listen," Tom said, speaking more softly and putting his hand on Dylan's shoulder. "You're getting worked up over nothing."

Dylan pushed Tom backwards and he stumbled. "Get your hands off me."

Sam saw what was going on and ran over quickly. "Dylan! Dylan, stop, look, we never meant to hurt you."

"Oh, we? We never meant to hurt you. Are you that stupid that you haven't even worked out who told Zoe you hit Dominic yet? Huh?"

"Oh..." Sam whispered, disappointed in how childish Dylan had been.

"You told her..." Tom said, anger brewing deep inside him.

"Yes, of course, give the boy a sugar cube," Dylan shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Because of Sam?" Tom asked. "I could have lost my job!" Tom pushed Dylan slightly.

"You should have lost your job," Dylan retorted, pushing Tom back and causing him to stumble.

"Tom, he's just winding you up, go back inside," Sam said softly.

Tom hesitated for a moment before turning back around and making his way inside. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Fighting in public?" Zoe shouted. "What's wrong with the two of you? It's all around the hospital!" She waited for a moment but neither Tom or Dylan said anything. "Oh please, no, not sulking!"

"I'm not sulking," Dylan replied quietly.

"Then what is it?" Zoe yelled.

"It's between me and Dylan," said Tom, looking up at Zoe and glancing at Dylan.

"Not when it's on my time it isn't Tom!" Zoe shouted. "I can't overlook this. I don't know what it is with you. E.D bingo-attack every member of staff and shout house? I'm serious, I really need a reason. I've warned you about this happening again."

"I provoked him Zoe," said Dylan, staring at the floor.

"Oh, so now we're playing Spartacus are we?" Zoe shouted, completely exploding with anger. "What is this, some sort of boys club thing? Tom, leave me alone with Dylan for a minute please." 


	10. Chapter 10

Dominic walked over to Tom with the distinct look of annoyance on his face.

"Would you mind telling me why you're booking in my patient?" he asked.

Tom looked up from his paperwork and replied, "She was in reception with a fever asking for help. I'm reassessing her."

"Did she come to you directly?" Dominic asked, putting his hands on his hips.

"Does it matter?"

"Is this a deliberate and pathetic attempt to undermine me?"

Tom coked his head to the side slightly and looked at Dominic as though he was pitying him. This was self explanatory. "I'm doing my job."  



	11. Chapter 11

"Nick, you need to decide who's leading here," said Zoe, as Tom gave everyone the vital information about Izzy.

"Doctor Kent will lead today," Nick said as the team got to work.

"Why, because he's got a helicopter?" Zoe asked sarcastically, raising her eyebrows as she did so.

"Doctor Kent's speciality is Paediatric trauma. This is what he does," Nick told her.

Scarlett smiled and looked at Tom, obviously impressed.

"Oh, you seem to know a lot about him," Zoe replied, looking at Nick, then Tom, and then back at Nick again.

"He should do," said Tom, smiling and replacing his stethoscope around his neck. "He offered me a job." 


	12. Chapter 12

"What the hell were you playing at?" Tara asked, leaning over Gemma, her voice dangerously quiet.

"I didn't think, that's all," Gemma replied, looking up at her mum.

"Oh you thought alright, you thought you'd ruin this for me and Simon."

Tom looked up from Gemma's test results. "Tara, that's not fair, she didn't plan to fall from a bridge." 


	13. Chapter 13

"All I care about is what is best for my patients!" Tom shouted.

"Well, we obviously have different views on what that means!" Lloyd snapped back, struggling to keep his cool/

"You're right, we do, which is why I don't want you anywhere near this case!" 


	14. Chapter 14

"Lost your helicopter already?" Nick asked Tom, who was wandering around the hospital grounds with a dog on a lead.

"It belongs to Izzy," Tom smiled.

"What, you saved the girl and the dog?"

"Couldn't help myself," Tom replied, grinning.

Nick stared at Tom for a moment, obviously very deep in thuoght. "When can you start?"

Tom shrugged and beamed. "When do you want me?" 


	15. Chapter 15

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, smiling as he did so.

"She's my friend," Sam replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Exactly. You're too close," Tom said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"This fight is the chance of a lifetime for her," Sam told him urgently.

"I get it, but respectfully, don't you have that unknown unknown to see to?"

"Fair enough," Sam sighed. 


	16. Chapter 16

Tom walked past the row of cubicles and glanced into one that had it's curtains slightly open. He did a double take when he saw Sam trying to remove some grit from her lower back with the help of a small mirror. She looked up when she noticed the curtain twitched.

"Well, what do you know, a peeping Tom."

"Need a hand?" Tom asked, entering the cubicle and shutting the curtain behind him.

"Nope," Sam replied, concentrating on the job at hand and removing a small piece of grit with the tweezers she was holding.

Tom pulled up a chair and studied Sam's back. "Dearie me, it looks like you brought half the quarry back with you. Come on, look, let me give you a hand," he offered.

"I said no," Sam said firmly.

"It's not as if I haven't seen it all before," Tom grinned cheekily.

"Ok, keep your voice down."

"Ok, well, all I said was," said Tom, raising his voice, "It's not like I haven't seen it all before!"

"Ok! You can help!" Sam shouted, looking around to check if anyone had heard. In fact, most of the ward had stopped and gone quiet, trying to hear the rest of the conversation.

Tom took the tweezers and started to remove pieces of grit from Sam's back. "Maybe you think I haven't got a right to be here. I'm concerned about you, but what can I say? You're a valued colleague."

"Ah, Doctor Tom, that means so much to me."

Tom then pulled out a large piece of grit which caused a loud "Ow!" from Sam.

* * *

**_I hope you like these updates! I can't believe how many I've done tonight! There won't be many updates for a few days now because I'm going on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, so I'll be in the middle of a field somewhere with no internet connection. Wish me luck!_**


	17. Chapter 17

Tom and Sam left Melanie and Gavin in resus and entered the corridor outside.

"You fancy a drink?" Tom asked.

Sam looked at him and smiled. "I thought you had a date tonight?" she challenged.

Tom got his phone out of his pocket and held it up. "Well, that's easily sorted."

"Ok..."

"So, drink?" Tom asked again as they began to walk down the corridor.

"Well, after the day I've had, I'm probably going to need more than one."

"Good," Tom replied. "You can buy first round."

* * *

**_Ok, so I lied. I'm going to do a few updates tonight and then no more for a few days. Hope you enjoy!_**


	18. Chapter 18

"I'm calm, I'm safe," Tom repeated to himself as the helicopter began to swoop down over the accident.

"Why did you take this job?" his colleague asked, bemused.

"It's aversion therapy," Tom answered.

"You've been doing this six months."

Tom glanced out of the window and quickly looked away again, his stomach churning.

"Turns out it doesn't work!" 


	19. Chapter 19

"Morning," Tom said brightly, as he pulled up on his bike next to Sam. "Oh yeah, um, sorry about last night, time just got away from me and I should've called."

"No, that's fine, you're just living the dream," Sam replied. Tom couldn't tell if she was angry or if she was joking. He hoped it was the latter.

"You know it," he joked. "Tonight?"

"You reckon?"

"I've got to make it up to you."

Sam smiled. "It better be good." 


	20. Chapter 20

Sam looked up at Tom, who looked severely fed up. "Look, if you want to get back to work you've got two options."

"Which are?" he asked.

"Gardening," Sam replied smiling.

Tom hung his head slightly and groaned. "What's the other?"

Sam looked into his eyes and hoped he'd listen to her. "Grovelling." 


	21. Chapter 21

"I didn't like seeing you in trouble like that," Tom told Sam sincerely, looking deep into her eyes.

"Yeah, well, don't worry about it. I'll live," Sam replied. She couldn't get too close to him, get attached. She'd only get hurt.

"And I didn't like it when I saw you with your Mr Nobody," he said truthfully. It had torn him apart.

"That's called male pride. You'll get over it." She loved that he was jealous, but this wasn't going to work.

"See, that's what I thought at first, but that's not it. Because, you see, I didn't like seeing you with him because I want to be the one who takes you to the opera. I want to be the one that looks out for you, keeps you safe."

"Why" She just didn't understand. No one had ever said anything that beautiful to her before.

"Because...I don't want no strings. Not any more. I actually want lots of strings, all of them attached to you."

Ok, scratch that. That was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her. But she still needed to be sure. "But why no? Because someone else wants me?"

"No, Sam, I would not do that." 


	22. Chapter 22

Tom came out of the side room and removed the mask from his face. "I'm sorry."

"Mum never spoke about him so I didn't either. Except to curse him sometimes," Ciara said, obviously ashamed. "Will he be alright?"

"I can't say for sure until I know exactly what's wrong with him. But, it's not looking good."

"Why am I so upset about someone I've never met?" Ciara fretted.

"He's your father," Tom replied.

"And he abandoned me. I'm twenty five, I spend my whole time looking after other people instead of living my own life."

"People can rise above these things," Tom told her.

"What people?" Ciara asked.

"Me," Tom replied quickly. There was silence for a few moments so he continued. "I was adopted. My family lied to me. But your father came back to find you. And that's got to mean something." 


	23. Chapter 23

"I'm sorrym" Jamie said again. He could do nothing but apologise, he was full of them. He hadn't meant to cause trouble-he'd just been trying to help.

"Not one of your better ideas," Tom said, leaving the cubicle.

"Something wrong?" Tess asked as she passed.

"Ask Willy Wonka here," Tom said.  



	24. Chapter 24

Tom pulled the man off Sam and punched him twice, leaving him on the floor. Noel and a few porters looked on, shocked.

"I would've got him off me," Sam said as she massaged her neck.

"I know," Tom replied, breathless. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, no, I'm fine." 


	25. Chapter 25

"I told my mum I was having Easter with my girlfriend to try and get out of having dinner with her," Tom said.

Sam stopped writing the notes she was working on and looked up. "You've got a girlfriend?"

"No." 


	26. Chapter 26

Tom moved a chess piece across the board but kept hold of it as he checked where Dylan's pieces were.

"You happy with that?" Dylan asked as he watched over Tom's shoulder.

"Haven't let go yet," Tom replied cheekily as he slowly let go of the piece. "Yeah, your move." 


	27. Chapter 27

"You were right" Tom told Dylan as he ran over when he spotted Dylan from across the car park.

"Yes," Dylan replied. "I usually am."

"There you go," Tom smiled. "That was a joke. Small progress." 


	28. Chapter 28

"So what's the story mystery man?" Sam asked as she began to walk next to Tom.

"What story?" Tom asked, slightly confused.

"Ciara said that you understood what was happening to her because of what happened to you. What does she mean by that?"

"Don't know," said Tom, looking away from Sam.

"Oh, so you'll tell a complete stranger?"

"It's no big deal." Tom wished she'd just drop it.

"Well then tell me! Tom, in case you're wondering, I'm not going to drop this until you give me some answers,"

Tom stopped walking and stared at Sam. "I was adopted." He pushed the door open and walked through it. "Mystery solved."

"Well, do you know who your real parents are?" Sam asked, following him.

"Nope."

"You're not even curious?" Sam couldn't believe that Tom wouldn't want to know.

"They've never bothered to look for me so why should I be bothered to look for them."

"Tom..." 


	29. Chapter 29

Tom walked up to Dylan. "Actually, I was hoping we could have a chat. Man to man."

Dylan took a small step backwards and looked at Tom awkwardly. "What?"

"Well, you know, a chat. You know, over a beer? Well, I'll have a beer and you can have a dandelion and burdock or whatever you want. It's up to you."

Dylan started to walk away. "Excuse me," he muttered. 


	30. Chapter 30

Dylan watched as Sam walked past. She glanced at him for a second but gave him no sign of recognition. Tom turned around to see what Dylan was looking at and he watched her walk into the ED.

"You sure you don't fancy that dandelion and burdock?" Tom asked.

Dylan clapped his hand against Tom's arm. "I wouldn't dream of cramping your style."  



	31. Chapter 31

"Well, he's acting," Sam used her fingers as quotation marks in the air, "normal. That means he's being weird. Dylan-he knows about us."

"No he doesn't," Tom laughed.

"Yes, he does." 


	32. Chapter 32

Tom walked into the staff room and saw Dominic leant over one of the counters. "So do I not even get a thank you for pulling you out of a hole today?"

"Oh, that's the way you see it, is it?" Dominic said, straightening up.

"How else would you describe it?"

"I advised her to take some medication and come back if it got worse," Dominic said, clearly patronising Tom.

"After the way you treated her today, you really think she would have come back?" TOm asked, his voice full of doubt.

"I treated her calmly and professionally."

"She could have ended up dead in a shop doorway somewhere," Tom interjected.

"Urgh, that's melodramatic conjecture. Are you really telling me that you suspected meningitis?"

"I was putting her on observation," Tom replied simply.

"Yeah, because you wanted to wind me up. And you felt sorry for a young girl living on the streets."

"She had a fever!" Tom shouted.

"It was a social concern, not a medical one."

"That's rubbish!"

"We both missed the meningitis because at the time there was no obvious signs. Now, I'm man enough to admit that and move on, but you're still slinging mud in all directions except your own. Not once have you admitted even to yourself that you let that girl down as well. Now, in my eyes, that is the sign of a cowardly and incompotent doctor!"

The anger Tom had been feeling was building up, you could see it in his eyes, and before he could stop himself he had punched Dominic in the face and left the room, flexing his fingers and knuckles as he did so. 


	33. Chapter 33

Tom spoke quietly, his head close to Zoe's, and his voice was full of urgency. "If we failed a vulnerable child, an we don't admit that mistake, that's about as bad as it can get."

Zoe looked back at Tom, clearly outraged. "I don't want to have to remind you that I'm in charge here."

"That's the point I'm making. You need to fix this-now."

* * *

_**Thank you so much for all the views-I've nearly got 3000 now! I'm so pleased. Sorry I've not updated in so long-last weekend was spent having the worst weekend of my life (It involved walking for 18 hours, most of which with a broken toe, which had only broken because I did that much walking!) But I'm much happier now I'm back and doing some writing again which is what I enjoy most. So thanks again and please leave a review! xx**_


	34. Chapter 34

"What's wrong with you?" Zoe asked.

"Nothing," Dylan replied, obviously feeling very uncomfortable.

"I took him out on the pull last night," Tom told her wryly.

"Good for you," Zoe said to Dylan as Tom smirked behind him.

"I wasn't 'pulling' exactly," Dylan said awkwardly.

"What would you call it then?" Zoe asked, smiling.

"Just chatting. And passing time in the company of a woman," Dylan replied, in a very matter of fact tone. 


	35. Chapter 35

"Change of plan, we're landing at Holby City," the young man driving the helicopter said. He saw Tom pause and his smile wavered. "That a problem?"

Tom forced a smile. "We'll soon find out." 


	36. Chapter 36

Tom took a sip of his coffee and put the mug down on the counter. "Divorce is traumatic. But, you know, one in three marriages..."

"I certainly don't need you firing facile statistics at me," Dylan snapped.

"Look, my point is, people get over it. They recover, move on."

"Wait, how exactly would you deal with this?" Dylan began. He couldn't recover. He couldn't move on. "You separate from your wife, you have no contact with her for three years, you forget about the relationship. As you say, you move on. And then, one day, said wife turns up at your place of work, with a silly grin plastered all over her soppy face. She doesn't make eye contact with you, barely acknowledges your presence. Inexplicably, you play along with this for months-"

"Look," said Tom, interrupting Dylan's rant. "I'm not denying that Sam has put you in a difficult situation."

"I think it's about time the tables were turned-don't you?" 


	37. Chapter 37

Zoe leant across her desk and angrily hit her hands on it. "Anything like this happens again Tom-you're gone! Understand?"

Tom smiled slightly. "He didn't have to report this to you."

"He didn't!"

Tom stopped smiling. "Then who did?" 


	38. Chapter 38

"Tom! Tom!" Sam called, rushing after him.

"What?" Tom asked, turning around.

"He's drugging her."

Tom looked confused and bemused. "Who is?"

"Nail scratch gut. I know why his wife doesn't notice. She's been having blackouts, she thinks it's because of her MS but it's not. He's been dosing her too." Tom quickly began to search his pockets. "What are you doing?"

"Err, give me your phone. Give it." Sam handed over her phone. "Ok, just don't let them leave!"

"Ok." 


	39. Chapter 39

Tom walked down the corridor and smiled at Sam as he passed. "So...what about tonight?" Sam didn't reply but couldn't stop herself smirking. "Tonight it is then." 


	40. Chapter 40

Tom handed the test results over to Sam. "Came back after she walked."

"So she doesn't know?" Sam asked.

"No."

"Oh great," Sam sighed. "Well look, I'll call Gavin, let him know, he won't let her fight."

"Wait wait wait," Tom said quickly. "You know you can't divulge that information."

"What am I supposed to do?" Sam asked, exasperated.

"We ring Melanie," Tom replied.

"But I can't ring Melanie, her phone'll be off. I'll have to go down to the arena, tell her myself. Erm, could you look after James for me?"

"Don't worry," Tom reassured her. "I'll take him over."

"Ok thanks." 


	41. Chapter 41

"I saw you physically push him out the way," said Zoe.

"It was heat of the moment," Tom sighed.

"You should know better!" Zoe shouted.

"So should he."

"Well I've spoken to Dominic and I've read through the notes."

"He discharged a girl suffering from meningitis." Tom couldn't believe that Zoe wasn't more angry than this.

"Yes, but the conclusive signs presented at a very late stage. So in my eyes, he did nothing wrong," Zoe tried to reason.

"Great. So, you're going to take his side of the story before you even heard mine."

"I'm not taking sides!" Zoe shouted, losing her temper. "I've read a factual acoount of what happened."

"Facts don't tell the whole story."

"Tom! I'm not undermining what you did for that girl. You went with your gut, you responded quickly-great. But shouting at Dominic in front of patients and members of staff? It's not on." Zoe couldn't help thinking that Tom's anger always let him down.

"Oh come on."

"You're holding a grudge from years ago. So just wind your neck in or I'll have to put you on a verbal warning. Ok?"

* * *

**_Thank you so much for all the views! Over 3,500 now! I've had a review from someone asking what this fic is actually about. So, it's a fic where I'm putting all the scenes I think are Tom's best. It's not following a particular format or anything like that. I hope this makes sense._**


	42. Chapter 42

Alicia watched the doctors treating her friend, who looked awfully ill. She didn't look that great herself, with her arm in a sling and blood covering her face. Tom took her back to her bed.

"Her eyes aren't open," Alicia panicked.

"Calm down," Tom soothed.

"Can we get a fast scan please?" Dylan could be heard asking in the background.

"Fast scan, that's not bad is it?" Alicia asked.

"No," Tom tried to explain. "Meera's suffered some very serious injuries, they just need to establish if there's any damage to the brain."

"Oh my God, I feel sick. I didn't know she was in there!"

* * *

**_I'm nearly on 4000 views, three views off! You don't know how happy that makes me and that's all thanks to you. Thank you all so much!_**


	43. Chapter 43

"This is ridiculous," Tom scoffed, struggling to believe what he was hearing.

"I'm not accusing you of anything," Nick replied calmly.

"So why are you taking me off her case? I haven't even been alone with her!" Tom couldn't help but feel frustrated, all of these things being said about him were lies.

"This isn't personal Tom."

Tom stared at Nick, his jaw set in anger and annoyance. "Do you believe it?"

Nick leant across his desk for his coffee. "No of course I don't. Absolutely not."

"So why?"

"Because I have to follow procedure," Nick sighed.

"And I have my patients welfare to consider," Tom spoke over him.

"This is 2012. They can accuse us of anything they like, and they can end a career in an instant. So I've put Doctor Hanna on the case." 


	44. Chapter 44

"Right, what do you suggest I do about it then?" Nick asked as he and Tom walked down the stairs to the department.

"Well," Tom told him. "All I know is that when I asked him if there was anyone else inside that building, he paused. My patient has clumps of hair missing and he's behaving, well, furtively."

Nick looked over at Tom in disbelief. "Are you seriously suggesting that this boy deliberately misled you while he was trapped under God knows how many tonnes of collapsed roofing? Deliberately lied? Deliberately put the life of one of his classmates in jeoardy? Why? Why would he do that? Hmm?"

Tom knew he was right but he didn't know how to reply. I don't know."

"Exactly," Nick said as they reached his office and he opened the door. "There's nothing we can do on a hunch. So my suggestion to you is, treat your patients to the best of your ability and stop playing detective. Is that perfectly clear?" 


	45. Chapter 45

"So how many does she smoke a day?" Tom asked casually.

"Who?" Jonas asked as he inspected the contents of the vending machine.

"Alicia."

"She doesn't smoke," Jonas told him as he inserted his money and bent down to pick up what he had bought.

"Oh. Ok," Tom replied, making it evident in his voice that he didn't believe what Jonas was saying.

"Is Meera going to be ok?" Jonas asked, though he sounded like he couldn't care less whether she lived or died.

"Well, I'm sure Doctor Keogh and the team are doing everything possible. She suffered some serious injuries, if we'd gotten to her sooner...who knows?" There was then silence for a moment or two. "So wait, if Alicia doesn't smoke, why did she tell me she was on the roof smoking?"

"No, it was me, she might have had a drag, she sometimes does."

"Ok, well, as I said, don't blame yourself." He knew Jonas was up to something, he just had to work out how to prove it. 


	46. Chapter 46

Tom bumped into Jonas in the corridor. "You really need to stay in bed. With any head injury we need to keep you monitored," he told him.

"I want to stay with my girlfriend," Jonas declared.

"Look," Tom said, putting his hand on Jonas' shoulder. "She's going to be absolutely fine. We're moving her up to CDU shortly, we're just waiting on a bed." Tom then seized that moment as his perfect chance. "Look, earlier, when I asked if there was anyone else in the building? You said no."

"Yep," Jonas replied.

"Don't feel guilty about it, you weren't to know." 


	47. Chapter 47

Tom walked up to Alicia having checked some of her test results. "Your head and neck are fine but a fracture to the humerous? Well, it might make it more difficult for you to smoke in future."

"I don't smoke," Alicia retorted.

"I thought you said that you-" Tom said as he looked up, feeling confused.

"I said what?" Alicia snapped, daring Tom to contradict her.

"It doesn't matter," Tom muttered, brushing it off. He picked up his small torch and shone it in Alicia's eyes. "Erm...so how have things been? Since I saw you last?"

Alicia pulled back slightly. "You mean am I still sticking my fingers down my throat after I eat?"

"Well," Tom said awkwardly. "The counselling helping?"

"I didn't go to the referral."

Tom put down the small torch. "Why not?" Alicia didn't reply. "Everything ok with your dad? Cause, we're still getting his voicemail."

"He's working in Newcastle. Look, is Meera going to be ok?"

Tom spotted a wound at the back of Alicia's head. "Do you want to tell me how you got this?" he asked, touching it gently.

Alicia flinched. "It's nothing, it's just a burn from my straighteners."

"It doesn't look like a burn to me."

Alicia glanced outside where Jonas was standing. "Well I'm telling you that it is!"

Tom followed Alicia's gaze and spotted Jonas glaring at her. "I'm just going to chase up some results, ok?" 


	48. Chapter 48

Tom walked into the cubicle with a nurse and they pulled the curtains shut behind them.

"You shouldn't be here," Alicia said, sounding panicked.

"Why did you request a female doctor?" Tom asked, trying to remain calm.

"It's got nothing to do with you," Alicia retorted.

"It's got everything to do with me. Your actions could end my career!" Tom shouted, hitting the trolley next to him.

Alicia ignored him. "Is Meera going to be ok?"

"Why are you protecting him?" Tom asked, confused, frustrated and angry.

"I'm not protecting anyone. He'd do anything for me."

Tom spoke bitterly. "Even pull your hair out? Alicia, you're sixteen years old, you shouldn't have to be dealing with this. You want to be happy, and more importantly than that, you want to be healthy."

"I am happy," Alicia said defiantly.

Tom began to speak more calmly and gently. "Your best is in a critical condition, your arm is fractured, you've got clumps of your hair missing, you also happen to be bulimic. But what you're not is stupid."

The curtains were suddenly pulled open and Jonas appeared. "What are you doing here?"

Tom panicked and plucked a lie from the air. "I lost my pen." He grimaced afterwards, could he not have thought of anything better than that?"

Jonas took a step towards him. "You come anywhere near her again, I'll make sure you lose a lot more than that." 


	49. Chapter 49

"Jonas, I'm not even dressed," Alicia said as they walked down the stairs.

"Don't worry about it, it's only for a few hours. I'll drop you back later," Jonas told her, he paused for a moment and then continued. "They'll be counting the results soon."

"I think it's probably all postponed now."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?" Did he not understand that the roof had just collapsed? "Maybe we should go and see Meera before we go?"

"You'll only upset yourself," Jonas said firmly. "Oh, my phone, wait there." He walked over to the main reception and spoke to Noel rudely. "My phone? It's charging?"

Tom looked over. "Make sure Alicia remakes her counselling appointment."

"She doesn't need counselling. She needs me," Jonas said bluntly.

Tom hit the desk next to him and stormed over. "I don't know what game you're playing or what you're trying to acheive but I'm on to you, know that I am on to you!"

Jonas squared up. "I'm on to you too mate!"

"You knew Meera was in there!"

Zoe walked over and stood between Tom and Jonas. "Tom."

"I'm sorry, did you find your pen? Or was it my girlfriend you were after?" Jonas yelled.

"Stop," Zoe ordered.

"Jonas!" Alicia shouted, shocked.

"You left her for dead!" Tom roared.

"Stop!" Zoe bellowed.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jonas raged.

"Look, Alicia, I'm begging you, tell the truth! Do not let him get away with this!" Tom pleaded.

"Tom," Zoe said. "Do you remember the last time she was here? Leave it, or this will end up in front of the GMC."

Tom glared at Jonas for a moment before following Zoe's advice and walking away.


	50. Chapter 50

"What's going on?" Alicia panicked, as all the machines surrounding Meera began to beep wildly.

Tom tried to guide her towards the doors. "Let's just talk outside."

Alicia rooted her feet to the ground defiantly. "No, now!"

"Ok, when I asked Jonas who that bad belonged to he said it was yours."

Alicia smiled because she was that confused. "Jonas knows what my bag looks like. He brought it for me for Christmas." She looked from Tom to her boyfriend. "Jonas, you know that that's Meera's bag."

"Exactly. He knew she was in there and she lied."

Jonas decided that now was the time to speak up. "I didn't."

Alicia shook her head. "No, no, that's not true."

"He set me up!" Jonas yelled.

"Look, stay there," Tom told the pair as he rushed over to Meera, whose condition was getting worse.

"He's set me up!" 


	51. Chapter 51

Alicia left Meera's bedside and walked over to Tom, who had coughed to get her attention. "Your dad. There's still no answer."

Alicia sighed. "That's because you're trying the wrong number. He's not in Newcastle, he's just got a new phone." She handed Tom her phone. "Could you call him for me?"

Tom flipped the phone around in his hands. "Of course. And I've made you another referral."

"Thanks." 


	52. Chapter 52

"Don't you just love Saturday nights?" Sam said as Tom joined her at the front desk. "All those years of training to deal with a guy who's caught himself in a zip."

Tom smirked. "Well, I've just picked up a patient with temporal arteritis." He put his hand up for a high five.

"I don't do high fives," Sam told him. Tom smirked again and slapped her bum. "Now, that's unprofessional."

"What, you mean I'm on top of my game?" he laughed, doing it again. 


	53. Chapter 53

Tom entered the cubicle and smiled. "So baby's had a temperature since when?" he asked.

"Six o'clock this evening. And a rash," Claire replied.

Lawrence interrupted, sounding annoyed. "Her cheeks are a bit red."

Linda looked up from the notes she was writing. "The rash blanches under pressure. BP's normal. I gave her some ibuprofen and her temperature's down from 39.5 to 39."

Tom smiled. "Good. That's moving in the right direction. Let's have a look at her."

Claire stroked her baby's cheek. "It's alright sweeetie. Mummy's here."

"She's certainly a bit hot," Tom said. "But she's interacting nicely. Any rash elsewhere on her body?"

"I couldn't see anything," Linda told him.

Tom checked her body. "No. Her skin looks clear." He listened to her chest using his stethoscope. "Is she wheezing a bit perhaps? Have you noticed her coughing?"

"No," Claire answered, panicked. "What's wrong?"

"Just a very faint rattle. It could be a slight chest infection. But her heartbeat's perfectly normal. Have you noticed any oher symptoms-vomiting, diarrhoea, persistant crying? How many wet nappies today?"

"Three," Lawrence told him.

Tom smiled. "That's your job is it? She has a raised temperature and it's likely a slight chest infection. But she's not presenting any other symptoms, so I think you can stop worrying about it being anything serious."

"I told you it was nothing," Lawrence sighed.

"She's got an infection!" Claire snapped.

"Let's do some urine," Tom told Linda. "Give her 120mg of paracetamol to back up the ibuprofen and let's try her on some water."

"What about a blood test?" Claire asked.

"Claire..." Lawrence snapped.

"Try not to worry," Tom reassured her. "I'll come and check on her again in half an hour." 


	54. Chapter 54

"You know what they need?" Tom said to Linda. "A decade of therapy. Just straightforward medical stuff for the rest of the shift, thank you very much."

Lawrence walked back into the cubicle and picked up some pieces of Tanya's clothing. "Left these behind."

Tom looked at Linda, panicked. "Please tell me he didn't hear that." 


	55. Chapter 55

Lawrence walked over to Tom at the front desk, who was filling in some notes in a file. "Sorry to hassle you mate, but I've got to teach a classroom of rowdy twelve year olds in a few hours."

Tom looked up. "Has there been any change?"

"No," Larence told him. "And there won't be. We spend a lot of time in emergecy departments. Every cough and stomach bug has to be investigated. The GP can't be trusted anymore apparently."

"Your wife's very anxious, isn't she? This is your second child right? Was she like this with your first?"

"Technically speaking, I only have one child. I'm not Tanya's biological father."

"Is your wife..." Tom asked.

"Yes. She's Tanya's mother. Hand on heart, it makes no difference to me. I was there at the birth, I do the night time feeds, I change the nappies."

"Your wife's more concerned about Tanya? Right. Ok, let's go and check Tanya over." 


	56. Chapter 56

"How's she doing?" Tom asked as he entered the cubicle.

"Just the same," Claire replied.

"Her cheeks are still a bit red," Linda told Tom.

"And she still feels a bit hot to me," Claire added quickly.

"Her temperature's 37.8," Linda interjected.

"Good," Tom said. "Almost back to normal. I can't see any reason why you shouldn't take her home."

"Shouldn't we wait a bit longer?" Claire asked, while Lawrence rolled his eyes.

"It's been a long night, and this place, it's only going to get more hectic," Tom told her. "I think you'd all benefit from a good nights sleep. Keep giving her the ibuprofen and the paracetamol, and if her temperature goes up again, you can always being her back in here."

"I think we're done," Lawrence said.

"You think we should stay, don't you?" Claire asked, turning to Linda.

"No, not at all," Linda replied. "Doctor Kent deals with babies all the time so..."

"If you want to stay, that's fine," Lawrence sighed.

Claire stood up and left the cubicle with Tanya in her arms. 


	57. Chapter 57

"I'm serious, why would anyone want kids?" Sam ranted while Tom tried to stop himself from laughing at her.

"Deep breaths," he laughed and smirked.

"When did teenage girls become such nightmares?"

"Because you were all sweetnees and light at that age?" Tom contradicted.

"I split my time between Duke of Edinburgh and Army Cadets," Sam raged.

"Wow." Tom got up to walk away. "I bet everyone wanted to be in your gang." 


	58. Chapter 58

Tom walked over to Sam and sighed slightly, mainly to get her attention. "Can we talk?"

"I know I can," Sam replied icily.

"About our patients..." 


	59. Chapter 59

Norman burst into the department carrying a small, lifeless baby in his arms. "Re-admission of a famale infant. Temperature forty, non-blanching rash on face, arms and torso. Three hundred milligrams of benzylpenicillin given at the scene. Floppy and barely rousable. She went into respiratory arrest on the way in."

"Re-admitted from when?" Sam asked, clearly confused.

"Earlier this evening I believe," Norman replied.

"What's happening?" Tom asked, joining everyone who was crowding around the baby.

"It's sounding like meningococcal sepsis," Sam told him.

Tom's face dropped when he realised who the baby was. "That's not possible."

"You said she was fine," Claire said bitterly.

Tom turned to face her, clearly distressed. "She was!" 


	60. Chapter 60

"Can we get someone from PICU down here please?" Sam asked urgently. "Keep ventilating and let's set up for an RSI."

"Let's get some access," Tom said after her. "I need 10mg of ketamine and 10 of sux."

"What's happening?" Claire asked, clearly panicking.

"We'll send her to sleep so we can breathe for her," Sam told her.

"Is it meningitis?"

"It's a non-blanching rash so we'll treat her for that, yes."

"Let's get a line in!" Tom shouted.

Sam looked at the nurses around her. "I need plenty of fluid boluses, 2oml per kilo."

At that moment, Lawrence entered resus and saw Tom. "I don't want you anywhere near my child!"

Sam looked up, clearly stressed. "I don't want anyone else in here. Please sir, can you step outside?"

Lawrence couldn't believe what he was hearing. "She's my daughter."

"Mr Thompson," Tom said. "We're doing everything we can to look after your child."

"Yeah, now you are!"

"Tom," Sam muttered. "It might be easier if you weren't here?"

"What?!" Tom asked.

"I've got this, just get him out of here." Tom didn't move. "Just go," Sam whispered. 


	61. Chapter 61

"You made a clinical decision off the back of one throwaway conversation," Lawrence said angrily.

"No, I didn't," Tom stated.

"You had us down as neurotic from the moment you clapped eyes on us." Lawrence paced the room.

"That's not fair. Tayna was not presenting any of the symptoms."

"Just have the decency to admit you were at fault!" Lawrence shouted.

"I can't do that Mr Thompson because it's not true," Tom replied calmly.

"You just keep telling yourself that, yeah?"

"I know you're upset-"

"I heard what you said."

"It's not going to do you any good taking it out on me," Tom told him.

"And what do you mean by that?"

Tom walked over to the door and opened it. "I mean this conversation is over."

"What, until after she's dead?" Lawrence shouted after him. 


	62. Chapter 62

Sam walked over to Tom, who was reading a small book about meningitis. "The Paeds team think we might have caught her just in time."

"No thanks to me," Tom sighed.

"I would have made the same diagnosis."

"You know what really worries me? The fact that the mother was so anxious made me more convinced that I was right. You hear about doctors thinking they know best but you never think it's going to happen to you."

"Tom, snap out of it. You were unlucky. It happens."

"I want a proper opportunity to explain myself," Tom told her defiantly.

"Well then you run the risk of looking like you're admitting negligence."

"Maybe I am."

"Now that's just self-indulgent."

Tom picked up his things and walked away. "Call it what you like." 


	63. Chapter 63

"What's her BP?" Sam asked.

"Seventy over fifty, rapidly dropping," Tess replied.

"Respiratory rate?"

"Also dropping."

Tom wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled the mask he was wearing away from his face, desperate for fresh air. "Why's the air-con off?"

"The spread of fumes," Tess told him.

"Did Zoe order that?" Tom asked.

"No, I did. A precaution I suppose," Tess shrugged.

Tom fanned himself slightly. "It's too hot in here." He leant on the side of the bed for support.

"What have we got?" Sam asked, as some machines began beeping. Tom didn't reply. "Tom?"

Tom pulled himself together. "She's more tachycardic and throwing off the odd VE." 


	64. Chapter 64

"Come on," Sam said as she walked past Tom on her way into the department. "Fifteen minutes is up."

Tom smiled when he saw her. "I could do with the rest of the afternoon, I've got to write the statement about the baby that nearly died."

"Has someone made a complaint? Surely it's just a formality?"

"You want to do it for me?"

"I could but it'll cost you," Sam joked.

"And I'm guessing that won't come cheap!"

Sam laughed. "You know me so well!" 


	65. Chapter 65

"Kisses?" Sam asked as she entered the sealed off room and saw Fletch in his underpants, covered with a pattern of lips.

"Let's just save the jokes until later, eh!" Fletch laughed. "Thank you."

Sam looked at Tess who began to reel off the vital information about the young girl. "She's maintaining a decent airway but she's tachycardic and has just had a small hematemesis. I'm concerned about her airway. There's widespread creps in both lungs. And she is steadily dropping her SATs."

"Any muscle fasciculation?" Sam asked.

"Yes."

"Dyspnoea?"

"Her wheezing is getting worse."

Tom looked over at Sam. "Constricted pupils, extreme salivation and lacrimation. Organophosphorus poisoning? Let's transfer her to resus. There is a free bed now."

Sam shook her head. "She might vomit en-route. We're in a dependency room, we should do it here."

"Why take the risk?" Tom asked.

"We don't know what she's taken, we'd have to decontaminate. Fletch, you decent?"

Fletch finished pulling on his scrubs. "Yes, as I'll ever be."

"0.02 milligram per kilogram body weight of atropine given as an IV bolus." Tom leant on the side of the bed and Sam looked up at him, concerned. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Tom muttered. 


	66. Chapter 66

"She's fitting," Tom said urgently. "She's in respiratory arrest. We should have gone to resus."

Sam ignored the comment. "Let's start bagging ventilation. Let's secure her airway and set up for an RSI. I need ketamine and sux please Fletch."

"Yep," Fletch replied.

"You ok to run this?" Sam asked Tom.

"Yeah, I'm good," he answered.

The phone rang and Fletch picked it up. "Zoe. She's gone into respiratory arrest."

"Put Tom on," Zoe told him.

"Tom," Fletch called. "I got Zoe for you."

"Yeah," Tom said, wiping his forehead.

"Got it?" Fletch asked, handing over the phone.

"Yeah." Tom felt that awful, he was almost struggling to talk.

"Tom," Zoe said. "This is sounding like organophosphorus poisoning. Has she been given the atropine?"

"Yeah. Intravenously at ten minute intervals."

"Right, and was there any improvement in her symptoms before the respiratory arrest?" Tom leant back and breathed deeply. "Tom, speak to me."

"Not that I could see."

"Right, I'm coming through," Zoe said, putting the phone down.

"Ok, you ready Tom?" Sam asked.

"Yep."

"Criciod on. Ketamine going in. Sux going in. In. Ok, we are ready."

"BP's 60 over 40," Fletch stated.

"Tom," Sam said. Once again, he didn't reply. "Tom, are you ok?"

"Yes," Tom replied, feeling fainter by the minute.

"The cyanosis is worsening," Tess added.

"Tom, we've got to get on with it," Sam said, watching his shaking hands. "Ok pause procedure, I'll take over bagging ventilation. Excuse me." Sam took the equipment from Tom. "Thank you, let's start again. Suction please, Fletch, and a seven-tube."

Zoe walked through the doors just as Tom ripped off his apron and glasses and stumbled from the room.

"Tom?" Zoe called after him. 


	67. Chapter 67

"What did the scans show?" Sam asked as she looked over Tom's shoulder at the results. "Wow."

"The radiologist is concerned that it might be a malignant growth and in the paranasal sinuses," Tom told her.

"Causing the headaches, cold-like symptoms, the nose bleeds," Sam continued.

"I'll tell him we're concerned, refer him to ENT, but it's most likely the early stages of sinus cancer."

"Well what do I know? Good spot," Sam encouraged.

"Yeah, well, I could do without the next bit," Tom sighed.

"Delivering the bad news?" Sam asked.

"If I didn't have this statement to write and the meeting to prep for..."

"I'll do it, just give me the notes. Tea and sympathy, I could do with the practice!" 


	68. Chapter 68

Sam stormed over to Tom. "You got an explanation?"

"The room was too small," he lied. "We should have moved through to resus."

"Oh," Sam laughed sarcastically. "So you have claustrophobia now, is that it?"

"Course not," Tom scoffed. "I was hot, I got dizzy."

"Tom. You froze. It looked like you had a panic attack. Tess and Fletch might keep this to themselves but I've had to just lie to Zoe, some crap about your glasses misting up. Tom, what is it?" She paused for a moment. "You can tell me."

"I haven't been sleeping, that's all. It's just...that baby I'm writing the statement about."

"That's just a formality, you did nothing wrong," Sam reassured him.

"I came close. Normally I'm fine. I don't know why. I lie awake thinking about what could have happened."

"Well, if you need to speak to someone, talk it out?" Sam suggested.

"No, it's just stress. It came at the worst possible moment. I've got to write a statement in response to the complaint, I've got a meeting with the Trust however informal they say it is..."

"Tom," Tom cut across him. "Just come here." She pulled him towards her and kissed him on the head gently. "It's ok. Is this the first panic attack you've had?"

"Yeah. And the last," Tom told her. "I've got to go." 


	69. Chapter 69

"Nice and easy," Tom said as the paramedics helped the patient, David, onto the bed. "Thank you very much. We're just going to raise the bed up. Thanks Charlie." David tried to get up but fell back slightly. "Ok, like back down gently."

"What's happened to Ria?" David slurred, obviously drunk. "What's happened to her?"

"Right, Daivd, it's really important that you listen to me," Charlie said gently. "We need to know what you've been drinking and what made you vomit. Your granddaughter has been admitted with chemical poisoning. We suspect she has been drinking what's in this bottle," Charlie said, holding up a glass bottle. "Do you remember what was in it?"

"BP's 120 over 80," Tom told Charlie.

"My head's pounding," David moaned.

"The ECG is normal," Tom added.

"Did you get hit in the face?" Charlie asked. "Is that why your nose is bleeding? And I see Elaine said sorry. Did she do this to you? Did you have an argument, is that it? And did little Ria see the argument?"

"Elaine left, I took it out on little Ri...Ria," David stammered.

"And then she drank some cider. And then she drank whatever was in this bottle. Do you remember what was kept in here?"

"A spray, for the tress, pesticide. I got it from a bloke down the pub, he's got his own farm."

"Can you remember what the pesticide was called?" Charlie asked urgently.

"I don't know. Ma...mathoxo..."

"Malathion?" Tom suggested, looking up from the notes he was checking.

"Yeah, I think so. Is little Ri..."

"She's in a critical condition I'm afraid," Charlie told him. "But she is stable." 


	70. Chapter 70

"I want a blood gas ASAP," Zoe told Tom as they walked down the corridor.

"How long ago did she ingest the substance?" he asked.

"One hour, two at most." Zoe handed Tom a set of scrubs. "And can you give these to Fletch? He got caught in the splash zone." 


	71. Chapter 71

"This is silly," David sighed. "I'm alright. She whacked me and I deserved it."

Tom smiled slightly. "From your loss of blood, it looks like it was more than a whack."

"Well, I more than deserved it."

Tom shone a small torch in David's eyes. "Just look this way for me please. And the other way. Have you had any other symptoms recently?"

David laughed bitterly. "A cold that she calls man-flu, aching muscles that she calls laziness."

"Ok, I'm going to send you off for a CT to rule out any haemorrhaging and take some bloods to rule out any clotting."

"It's stopped now," David told him. "I'll be alright." He tried to stand up but stumbled. Tom leapt forward to catch him.

"Whoa. Ok, how much have you had to drink today mate?"

"Four, five pints."

"I'm a little concerned about your alcohol intake," Tom told him. "And would you mind having a chat to Charlie, he's out senior nurse."

"No, no," David said. "I'm fine."

Charlie began to speak. "It's just that you are obviously not happy with the way things are right now. And your family are very concerned."

"I think it would be a good idea," Tom told him. 


	72. Chapter 72

"He's your patient," Sam said. "BUt a scan just feels unnecessary."

Tom scowled slightly. "He's got a reduced GCS."

"Or is he just drunk?" Sam contradicted, cocking her head to the side.

"He's had headaches recently, blurred vision." Tom was desperate to prove his point, to show he was right.

"It just feels over-cautious."

"Like I'm panicking?" Tom shot at her.

"I didn't say that. If you want to send him for a scan just to be on the safe side..."

"It's not a precaution," Tom stressed. "It's a hunch that something other than the blow to the head is causing the bleeding. I want to rule out a haemorrhage and do further tests."

"I can't back you on a hunch," Sam told him.

"On the facts I've given you?" Tom asked.

"I'd release him. Tell him to be nice to his wife."

"Tom, how's that statement going?" Zoe asked, joining the pair. "I want a chance to read it before later."

"I'm on it," TOm told her.

"Today please. What's the latest on the grandfather?"

"I'm a little worried about his GCS so I'm sending him for a CT and doing bloods," Tom replied.

"Ok, keep me posted."

"You know what you're doing," Sam said as she walked away. "I'm sure you're right." 


	73. Chapter 73

Tom typed a few words on his laptop before angrily shutting it, then pushing some things off the desk. Sam walked in, having watched him, and looked at him questioningly.

"I can't focus," he told her. "And I know it's stupid and I know I did nothing wrong and I know this meeting is lip service to the process-"

"It's ok Tom," Sam interrupted.

"If I'm not thinking about the baby, I'm thinking about the poor girl in there with chemical poisoning or the grandfather in there with a tumour the size of a golf ball."

"Look, why don't you ask for some time off?" Sam suggested.

"I don't want to do that."

"No one would say anything," Sam tried to reason. "You're a good doctor, you proved that today."

"I just need to relax. To unwind."

"I think you should take one of these," Sam said, putting a small pill bottle on the table.

"Diazepam?" Tom questioned.

"I'm concerned about you, I think you should take one. If it gets you through the meeting, if it helps you write the statement and if it gets you through the day-it's a short term solution."

"And what about the long term?"

"You've got me," Sam told him.

Tom smiled and took the bottle of tablets. "Ok." 


	74. Chapter 74

Tom and Sam continued to kiss passionately before Sam pulled away slightly, realising that it was time for her shift to start.

"Is it too late to pull a sickie?" Tom asked, leaning in and kissing Sam again.

"I'm not sure if we'd get away with it," Sam laughed.

"We could just do a runner and go back to bed," Tom suggested, grabbing her hand.

Sam looked at her watch. "Shift started two minutes ago."

Noel opened the door, causing the pair to jump apart. "Sorry, paramedics are five minutes away. RTC."

"Great. Thank you," Sam said as Noel left. She turned to Tom. "You ok?"

"Course. I'll be right there," he replied.

"Ok," Sam said, leaving the room.

Tom quickly opened his locker, took a small bottle from it and took a tablet, sighing with relief. 


	75. Chapter 75

The doors burst open and Dixie and Jeff wheeled in a young boy on a trolley. Tom rushed over to help.

"This is Jake Ellis," Dixie announced. "He's seven years old. He's been knocked off his bike by a car. He was wearing a helmet but it's pretty damaged. Possibly briefly KO'd. I'm also concerned about a fracture to his left tib, fib. We've immobilised the leg. Can we get him over, nice and gently? One, two, three." They lifted Jake onto a bed. "SATS are 99, GCS is 14, his pulse is 120, his BP is 100 over 60 and I've given him five of morphine."

"Ok," Sam said, taking in the information. "Thank you."

"Ok, Sam, are you alright with the primary survey?" Tom asked. Sam nodded. "Ok, Jake," Tom continued. "I'm Tom and this is Sam. I know it hurts, but we're going to help with it, ok?"

"Brave lad," Jake's dad added. "You're doing really well."

"The airway's ok," Sam told Tom. "Breathing is equal with no sign of a chest injury."

"Ok, let's get the orthos down and get the radiographer for a chest, C-Spine and pelvis."

"Pulse 110, 105 over 75. Not much circulation in the foot." Sam felt around Jake's foot and ankle. "Ok, let's get the frac pac off." 


	76. Chapter 76

"The Ortho Reg is on his way down. He wants us to get some films before we do anything," Tess told Tom, putting down the phone.

"Ok, well the circulation's not good. And the skin is critical," Tom replied.

"So, you're not going to wait?" Sam guessed.

"We need to just do it."

"Ok," Sam agreed.

Tom walked over to Jake's dad and began to explain what was happening. "We need to straighten his leg and put the bone back in position."

"Is it going to hurt?" Jake's dad asked, concerned about his son.

"I'm going to give him medicine that will make him seem out of it, but he might make some noise when we do it," Tom eplained, before moving over to Jake. "Jake, I need you to be brave for me. Ok?"

"Dad, don't let them!" Jake shouted.

"They've got to do it Jakey," his dad explained.

"No dad, it hurts too much!" Jake pleaded.

"It's going to be over before you know what's happened," Tom reassured him. "I just need you to relax. 20 of ketamine going in. Ok, let's do this." He and Sam held the young boy's leg. "On me. One, two...There we go," he said as they both pulled. "Good job. Let's get a backslab on this."

"I am so proud of you," Jake's dad told him. 


	77. Chapter 77

Tom saw Jake being wheeled towards the lift and he stopped to talk to him. "You're going to have to be in hospital for a while. The orthopaedic surgeons will come and talk to you abou the operation. Don't worry, you're going to be back on your feet in no time. And, don't tell the adults, but the children's ward have computer games."

"Thanks doctor," Jake's dad said.

"No worries," Tom replied, smiling.

Jake was wheeled into the lift and his dad followed, smiling at Tom.

"How's he doing?" Zoe asked.

"Going up to theatre now," Tom replied.

"Great, well, I've got a meeting upstairs til twelve so if you need me..." said Zoe.

"Uh huh." 


	78. Chapter 78

Dixie walked into the departmment, carrying a small baby in her arms. "This is Poppy Myerscough," she announced. "She's one year old and she's in respiratory distress. She's not very responsive and I think she got really tired on the way in. Not pyrexia. We've had to occasionally support her with a BVM."

Tom took in the information. "Ok, let's get her into Paeds and straight onto the trolley."

Dixie nodded. "Ok. Right, Tom, she's fitting mate," she urgently added.

"Ok. Get her onto the trolley. Can I have some rectal diazepam and paracetamol and then let's relax her a bit." Tom turned to Poppy's parents. "Has this happened before?"

"No," her dad, Max, replied.

"Has she had all her vaccinations?" Tom checked.

"Yes," her mum, Fiona, told him.

"Do you want to bag her?" Tess asked Tom.

"Give her a minute. Come on Poppy," Tom urged.

"Can't you do something?" Max asked.

"We just need to let the fit pass," Tom explained.

"We can't just stand here!" Max shouted.

"Wait," Tom told him. "Ok, breathing's improving. Tess, can you get onto PICU please?"

"So what's wrong with her?" Max asked.

"That's what we need to find out," Tom replied. He turned and saw a look of pure fear on Fiona's face. "You ok?" 


	79. Chapter 79

Tess put down the phone. "PICU will be ready in an hour or so."

"Great, thanks," Tom smiled.

"What do you think's wrong with her?" Max asked.

"We don't know yet," Tom replied. "There are a number of possibilities, all of which we'll investigate."

"Could it be meningitis?"

"She doesn't have a fever or a rash, so it's unlikely. I still need to do a full history though. You don't seem to be registered with a GP."

"I've just moved to the area," Fiona said quietly.

"Ok," Tom nodded. "What's Poppy been like over the past few days?"

"Just very quiet. A bit pale," she said.

Tom looked over at Max. "I've not seen much of her recently. We don't live together. We're working some stuff through."

"Ok, well, the nurses need to get Poppy to the CT scanner now," Told told them both. 


	80. Chapter 80

"How is she?" Zoe asked.

"I'm running a full set of bloods and she's going for a CT now to rule out an intracranial lesion. If that's all clear, I'm going to do a chest x-ray and urine to check for any source of sepsis," Tom replied. "PICU are on their way down now, but I want a better picture of what's going on before she goes anywhere."

"Is there anything in her history?"

"Not that I can see, no."

"I spoke to Sam," Zoe said slowly. "If you need an extra pair of hands, or someone to take over..."

"What do you mean?" Tom asked quickly.

"There's no shame in it Tom."

"Is this about Tanya Thompson?"

"No one blames you," Zoe told him. "No one could have known it was meningitis. I know what it's like to have your confidence knocked."

"I'm fine. Thanks."

"Ok. Keep me posted though."

* * *

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